NYC Sees Pedestrian Traffic Increase in Congestion-Pricing Zone

There were 1.2 million fewer vehicles south of 60th street between Jan. 5 and Jan. 31.

Photographer: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg

Pedestrian traffic on New York City’s busiest streets increased in January even after motorists began paying a new toll to drive into those same neighborhoods.

Nearly 36 million people last month were in areas south of 60th Street in Manhattan, a 4.6% boost from January 2024, said Juliette Michaelson, deputy director of policy and external relations at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The agency, which runs the city’s transit network, is implementing the congestion-pricing program.